Twitter might not be the world’s most popular social media tool (Germany for example lacks users in contrast to Facebook), but it is surely one of the most stunning tools for sharing opinions in real-time. But what does Twitter (or its infamous ‘fail whale’) sound like? The project #tweetscapes gives an answer to this question.

Initiated by German sound and data artist Anselm Venezian Nehls (see also his project ‘Heavy Listening’) and sonic researcher Dr. Thomas Hermann in October 2011 as a project in collaboration with radio station Deutschlandradio Kultur, #tweetscapes now offers a real-time visualisation by video artist Tarik Barri of all tweets from Germany’s Twitter users on their project website.

#tweetscapes aggregates all information that comes with public tweets: topics, sender, place, time and many more. Each tweet creates an acoustic and visual event which is put into context with the sender’s approximate location. Also, #hashtags aka topics on Twitter are being used to determine the relevance of a topic and to playback a specific sound for that specific topic – and the more people use a specific hashtag, the louder its soundscape is.

Learn more about #tweetscapes on their website and visit the live presentation in the real world: #tweetscapes will be interacting with Twitter, AUTOMAT and Berghain’s Funktion One sound system live during tonight’s ‘Elektroakustischer Salon: Art’s Birthday 2012′ event, another performance will take place during 100° festival at Berlin’s Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) from February 23rd to 26th 2012.